The packing and shipping of produce such as grapes, tomatoes, cherries, etc. calls for the usage of specialized boxes of sturdy construction that are readily assembled and stacked. In addition, it is desirable to incorporate latch means on containers of this type to maintain the integrity of the box, especially during shipping.
A wide variety of containers have been devised for this purpose including those containers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,579, issued Jan. 30, 1973 to John W. Chaffers, and applicant's co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 068,781 filed Aug. 22, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,773.
The container of the present invention is of the general type disclosed in the aforesaid patent and application; however, the container disclosed herein incorporates a new latching structure that is characterized by its simplicity and contribution to the improved functioning of the container. Specifically, the container disclosed herein is characterized by its ease of closure and integrity after closing due to the positive locking force exerted by the latch means employed therein. In addition, the latch means of the present invention is characterized by its improved strength characteristics, thus making it particularly useful as stacking alignment structure, and by its moisture resistance.